Are You Trying To Hook Your Bowling Ball Too Much?

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 7/3/2013; Updated: 4/19/2023

Are you forcing your release trying to hook the bowling ball more than your natural delivery style allows? If so, perhaps it might be wise to back off somewhat if you are losing accuracy and ball speed control.
In the days of the power game and the modern bowling ball equipment, it is easy to be infatuated with the big hook. The big hook is very exciting to watch and really generates a high rev-rate, which dramatically moves the pins around on the pin deck.
Caution should be taken if you are not a natural power player and you try to force your game to get more hook but sacrifice control.
The big hook is a risk/reward delivery style. It is easy to advocate the power game for those bowlers with the physical gifts to control a legitimate strong release style and align to the lane conditions accordingly.
However, there are those of you who simply are not power players and should learn to trust your own game. Rely on using the right bowling balls at the right time and develop good physical game fundamentals.
Not everyone can benefit from increasing the amount of hook unless the techniques chosen to gain a greater amount of hook are sound and proven ones.
It is very easy to overturn the bowling ball or to turn the ball too soon in relation to the proper moment at the bottom of the forward swing arc when trying to force the release to gain more hook. Forcing the turn and trying to “cup” the wrist to gain more revs is a trap if you are not well coached or well practiced in doing so.
There are things you can do to increase bowling ball hook which do not involve forcing your release and making errant deliveries.
If you are not a power player with a strong hook delivery and want to increase your hook, consider using the following techniques in doing so:
1. Use of a wrist support device for a clean and quick thumb release and to keep your wrist propped up behind the bowling ball.

2. Never decelerate your forward swing and follow-through motion.
3. Maintain a good ball speed.
4. Line up to the pocket sensibly and use the lane conditioning pattern to your advantage.
5. Choose a bowling ball with an aggressive coverstock for heavy oil or one which conserves energy for striking the pins, depending on the lane conditions.
Avoid the temptation of trying to hook the bowling ball more than you are capable of doing and sacrifice control. The name of the game is to hit the pocket as often as possible and pick up your spares. Trust in your skills and use them to your advantage and you will increase the likelihood of gaining higher scores, not just more hook.